Railroad-crossing.



G. E. FLETCHER.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 23, 1912.

1,064,202, Patented June 10, 1913.

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GEORGE E. FLETCHER, OF ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

T 0 all whom 2'15 may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Anaheim, in the county of Orange and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Crossings, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railroad crossing devices andhas particular relation to the production of a track crossing suitablefor use upon tracks, where the rails cross each other at right angles,or at angles less or. greater than a right angle, as for instance wherethe ordinary railroad frog is generally employed.

It is an object of the invention to produce a crossing frog in which acontinuous track support is afforded to the wheels of rolling stock inpassing over crossings of any type.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a railroad crossing orfrog in which movable pieces are employed, which are capable ofadjusting themselves to the movement of wheels, in passing the crossing,s as to form a continuous track support for said wheels in eitherdirection over said crossing.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure1 is a top plan view of the crossing members of a rail road crossingupon one side of one of the tracks, the portions of the crossing on theother side being partially shown. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of oneof the said crossing members, the parts being in their normal positionwhen the track is unoccupied by wheels. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view ofa central portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 but with the crossingpoints of the device moved back into alinenient with one of the tracksfor the passage of wheels over the same. Fig. 4 is a detail verticalsectional view taken upon the line 4Et of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similardetail sectional View but showing a slightly different form ofconnecting means joining the movable points of the crossing. Fig. 6 is adetail sectional view taken upon the line 66 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is adetail vertical sectional view taken upon the line 77 of Fig. 2.

The details and features of the invention will now be more particularlydescribed, reference being had to the said drawing in which- 10indicates a crossing member for the tracks of a railroad crossing, therebeing of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 23, 1912.

Patented June 10,1913.

Serial No. 672,897.

course four of such crossing members at each track crossing. It will beunderstood. that the crossing devices, forming the subject matter ofthis invention, may be used where the crossing tracks pass over eachother at right angles to each other or at greater or less angles, so asto make angular frogs of the crossing members, within the spirit of theinvention, but for the purpose of illustrating the invention, thedrawing merely shows the device as applied to the rails when they extendat right angles to each other.

A description of one crossing member 10, will be sufficient for all ofthem and so the numbers will be applied merely as in describing one ofthem. Each of said crossing members is formed with track sections 11 and12, which have offset abutting end portions 13 and 14 as clearly shownin Figs. 1 and 2. The continuation of the track 11 is also offset at 15,while the continuation of the track 12 is formed with an ofis-et portion16. These offset portions are arranged at a slight angle to the trackproper and the offset side portions thereof are adapted to receivemovable crossing points 17, 18, 19 and 20. All of said points whenpressed back into position against the olfset ends of the rails areadapted to complete the straight, inner guiding edges, of the rails aswill be understood by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawing. Normally, theyextend out of track forming position and the inner ends of the points 17and 18 are preferably pivot-ally connected. a pivot pin 21 being passedvertically through their inner ends. The inner ends of said points arereduced in vertical height and arranged to lap one upon the other asshown in Fig. 4. Theouter ends of said crossing points 17 and 18 areformed with transverse guide bars 17 and 22. These bars project belowthe head of the rail and extend beneath the said head portion of therail and a suflicient distance outside of the rail to be connected withsprings 23 and 24. The said springs eX- tend toward the abutting ends ofthe rail portions 13 and 14-, where they are connected to a vertical pin25, or in any other similar manner secured to a rigid part of themechanism. The action of the springs is to draw the bars 17 and 22inwardly and tend to force the movable points 17 and 18 to the positionsshown in F hrs 1 and 2 of the drawing. The said points 17 and 18 areadapted to be moved against the action of the said springs by means ofthe points 19 and 20 which have a movable engagement with the ends ofthe opposite points 17 and 18 respectively. Such movable engagement isusually formed by providing dowel pins 26 and 27 carried by the points17 and 13 respectively and loosely engaging sockets 28 and 29 formed inthe ends of the points 19 and 20. The outer ends of the points 19 and 20have laterally projecting depend ing arms 30 and 31, which are providedwith rounded heads 32 and 33 upon their outer ends, which fit intocorrespondingly shaped sockets formed in the adjacent part of thecrossing mechanism. Top corner plates 34 fit upon the crossing in thefour corners thereof, so as to cover and hold in place the said roundedheads 32 and 33 and also the bars 21 and 22 of the points 17 and 18. Thestructure is such that the springs tend to force all of the points tothe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When flanged wheels approach the crossing from one direction, theflanges will en gage the points 18 for instance, and force the sameagainst the adjacentoi'iset end 13 of the rail 11. The point 20 will becarried with it by reason of the dowel pin 27 and the straight inneredge of the rail 11 will be completed by said points, affording acontinuous rail support for the wheels over the space of the crossing.If the wheels approach the crossing from the opposite direction, theparts will be carried to the same position as shown in Fig. 3, by theflanges engaging the point 20. As soon as the wheels pass the crossing,the springs will return the points to the position shown in Figs. 1 and2. If wheels approach the crossing upon the rails 12, the same actionwill take place, either by the engagement of the flanges with the point17 or with the point 19, according to the direction in which the wheelsare moving.

It will be observed. that gap will be left between one of the points,either 19 or 20, for the passage of the wheels as indicated in Fig. 3,and in accordance with the move ment of the wheels. The flanges are thusalways accommodated by the movement of the parts, and at the same time aC011ti1111 ous support without any gaps is aflorded for the supportingof the wheels. Instead of placing the dowels 26 and 27 upon the ends ofthe points 17 and 18 themselves, the pivoted portions of said points maybe made shallower as shown at 35 and 36 in Fig. 5 and the pivot pinpasses through these portions and through a block 37 immediately below,the said block being provided with dowel pins 38 and 39 for engaging theadjacent ends of the points 19 and 20, without departing from the spiritof the invention. It will be understood also that to adapt the mechanismto rails which extend at greater or less angles than a right angle toeach other, it will be merely necessary to adapt the pins to the angularspace between the rails, the structure and action of the same beingpractically as described above.

What I claim is:

1. A railroad crossing frog comprising a base having laterally inclinedrail points extending thereon affording oliset recesses at the sidesthereof, spring actuated crossing points adapted to fit against some ofsaid rails, loosely connected pivoted points 00- operating therewith andsprings for normally forcing the points out of their seats, against theinclined portions of the rails.

2. A railroad crossing comprising a base adapted to receive the headportions of the rails meeting at the crossing, crossing points fittingagainst said rails, some of said points having transverse bars arrangedbelow the heads of the rails, springs connected with said bars tendingto force the points away from the rails, a pivot pin connecting theinner ends of said points, the said points also having dowel pinsprojecting therefrom, some of said points also having pivot projectionsand being provided at their inner ends with sockets for receiving saiddowel pins.

3. In a railroad crossing, comprising rails forming a crossing, oiiset-sin said rails at their junctions, a pair of movable rail points.

pivoted at their intersections adapted to fit said offsets, andresilient means for operating said rail points.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 15th day of January, 1912.

GEORGE E. FLETCHER. Witnesses EDMUND A. STRAUsn, EARLE R. POLLARD.

Cepies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

